About Our Organization

The purpose of the ACS is to promote the use of conifers in the garden and landscape and to educate the public about their care and conservation.

Our mission is:

• to promote the development, propagation and conservation of conifers
• to encourage the appreciation and use of conifers in the landscape
• to educate the public and professionals about conifers
• to spread the joy, knowledge and diversity of conifers across the world!

Collectors’ Conifer of the Year (CCOY) program offers members an opportunity to select a rare dwarf and/or full-size cultivar that is shipped direct from growers each spring. Proceeds from these sales benefit the ACS Scholarship fund.

Grants & Merit Awards are given annually at the national meeting to individuals who have made significant contributions to the field of conifer collecting, propagation, education, horticultural research, conservation or public service.

Membership is open to individuals, corporations and institutions. (Members are able to search the membership directory online.)

Nursery Discount Program. Members receive 10% discounts at participating nurseries, as well as the privilege of shopping at a select number of wholesale nurseries and growers who do not sell directly to the public.

ConiferQuarterly, our signature publication, mailed; quarterly to members. Additionally, some Regions publish their own quarterly newsletters that are focused on the activities within their part of the country that are delivered by e-mail as PDF files. Selections from these publications are available on this web site to the public; an archive of all digitized content is available to members. The Western Region posts information directly to the website.

Reference Gardens are public gardens with significant conifer collections who partner with the Society to further our mission. Regional management selects the gardens within their geographical area for admission to the program. Reference Gardens may apply for grants from the ACS (which are awarded on a rotating basis, with each region receiving national ACS funds every four years), and collaborate to host events and create publications.

Scholarships are awarded for the study, development, preservation, promotion and appreciation of conifers with emphasis on the dwarf and unusual conifers in landscapes and gardens available to the public.

This website is partitioned; some content is available to the public. Members log in to gain access to the entire site including the ability to post comments and photos in many areas, access the member directory, purchase Collectors Conifers of the Year, and other benefits. Click here to learn more about becoming a member of the American Conifer Society.